1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing apparatus for developing a light-sensitive material, and more particularly to a developing apparatus for developing a light-sensitive material after converting a developing solution into droplets and supplying the same to the surface of the developing material.
2. Statement of the Related Art
As a method of supplying a developing solution when a developing solution is supplied to the surface of an imagewise exposed light-sensitive material to effect development processing, methods are generally adopted in which the light-sensitive material is immersed in the developing solution, or the developing solution is continuously supplied to the surface of the light-sensitive material.
With the above-described methods, however, an excessive amount of developing solution is supplied to the surface of the light-sensitive material in addition to the portion of the developing solution necessary for developing a light-sensitive material. For this reason, the developing solution has been used wastefully.
To solve this problem, the so-called liquid spraying method in which a developing solution is converted into droplets and sprayed to the surface of a light-sensitive material has been conceived as a method of supplying a developing solution which does not use the developing solution wastefully.
However, with the above-described liquid spraying method in which a developing solution is sprayed to the surface of a light-sensitive material, since the developing solution is sprayed from a nozzle to the surface of a light. sensitive material in a dispersed manner, the amount of the developing solution supplied varies between a central portion of the light-sensitive material and its surrounding portions. As a result, there occurs the problem that it is impossible to supply the developing solution uniformly to the surface of the light-sensitive material, making it impossible to develop the light-sensitive material uniformyy.
For this reason, it is conceivable to arrange a plurality of nozzles in such a manner as to oppose the developing area of the light-sensitive material and spray the developing solution uniformly to the surface of the light-sensitive material so as to supply the developing solution uniformly to the surface of the light-sensitive material. However, it is difficult to arrange a plurality of nozzles in face-to-face relationship with the surface of the light-sensitive material. In addition, with an apparatus in which development processing is effected by disposing a developing electrode on the surface of the light-sensitive material to adjust the amount of the developing solution adhering to the light-sensitive material, it is difficult to arrange a plurality of nozzles for jetting the developing solution in face-to-face relationship with the surface of the light-sensitive material.
Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to arrange a plurality of nozzles in face-to-face relationship with the surface of an electrophotographic film such as a microfilm having a small developing area.
In addition, a method has also been proposed whereby a developing solution in the form of sol is adsorbed by the surface of the light-sensitive material by a developing electrode so as to supply the developing solution to the surface of the light-sensitive material. In this case, however, there are cases where it is impossible to supply the developing solution uniformly to the surface of the light-sensitive material depending on the position of a supplying port for supplying the developing solution in the form of sol to the surface of the light-sensitive material.